LONDON -- Italy made its bid to qualify for next year's
European Championship a lot more difficult Saturday, and England
made it much more likely.

The World Cup champions, playing France for the second time
since beating Les Bleus on penalties last year in Germany, were
held to a 0-0 draw, dropping them into third place in Group B with
four matches to go.

England, however, successfully completed the first step of
its six-point plan Saturday, beating Israel 3-0 in a European
Championship qualifying match.

The other three points in the plan could come Wednesday, when
England hosts Russia in a key Group E match that is likely to leave
one of the two teams facing elimination.

Russia beat Macedonia 3-0 to stay one point ahead of England
with four matches to go. Croatia, which had a chance take over the
lead by beating Estonia later Saturday, and Israel were also in
position to claim one of the two qualifying spots from the group.

There were 20 Euro 2008 qualifying matches scheduled for
Saturday, with World Cup finalists Italy and France playing in
Milan in the most anticipated game of the day. Germany, the
Netherlands, Portugal and the Czech Republic were also playing
later.

Shaun Wright-Phillips, Michael Owen and Micah Richards each
scored for England, which entered the day in fourth place in Group
E.

"It was important to win," England coach Steve McClaren said.
"It does our goal difference a world of good. The performance was
just the icing on the cake. We made Israel look ordinary."

Wright-Phillips, who scored his first competitive international
goal, made it 1-0 in the 20th minute with a volley after Joe Cole's
cross. Owen added another in the 49th -- his 38th goal in his 85th
international appearance -- and Richards scored his first
international goal in the 66th, jumping to head in a corner from
Gareth Barry.

England has 17 points from eight games and Israel has 17 from
nine.

"There's obvious gaps between us and the England side, and it
was a well-known fact," Israel coach Dror Kashtan said. "These
are not excuses, these are plain, simple facts."

The Russians scored twice after being to reduced to 10 men in
the 70th when goalkeeper Vladimir Gabulov was sent off for fouling
Goran Maznov.

Zenit St. Petersburg goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeyev, who came
on for striker Dmitry Sychev, blocked Igor Mitreski's ensuing
penalty kick and Maznov's header off the rebound.

Northern Ireland, which had been a surprise in qualifying after
beating both Spain and Sweden in Group F, lost to Latvia 1-0.
Northern Ireland's Chris Baird scored an own-goal, tapping in a low
cross from Imants Bleidelis in the 56th.